Manchester United breathes a sigh of relief thanks to Mbeumo and Amad. FIFA’s recent ruling now permits Premier League clubs to retain their players for an extra week before the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2025, and this decision is a game-changer.
According to the Daily Mail, Premier League teams will only need to release their players on December 15, seven days later than originally planned. This extension serves as a significant boost for clubs facing the risk of losing several key players during this critical period of the season.
United stands among the biggest beneficiaries of this change. With the new ruling in place, Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui are likely to contribute when the Red Devils take on Bournemouth on December 15.
Mbeumo, in particular, has been a standout striker for United this season, netting six goals in 14 matches across all competitions. His absence, compounded by Benjamin Sesko’s injury, presents a challenge for coach Ruben Amorim as he searches for alternative attacking solutions.
Liverpool also enjoys a similar advantage, keeping Mohamed Salah for an additional match when they face Brighton on December 13. Likewise, Manchester City will retain Omar Marmoush, Salah’s Egyptian teammate, ahead of their clash with Crystal Palace on December 14.
The CAN 2025 tournament is set to kick off on December 21, with approximately 45 players from the Premier League expected to leave their clubs for national duty. Notably, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds, and Newcastle are the only clubs not fielding players in the tournament.
Sunderland, on the other hand, faces the steepest penalties, with a lengthy list of absentees, including Chemesdine Talbi, Simon Adingra, Bertrand Traoré, Arthur Masuaku, Reinildo, Noah Sadiki, and Habib Diarra, all required to represent their nations at CAN 2025.
